Pennies 1 Program

In November of 1997, the residents of York County embarked on a historic initiative to do for themselves what others could not do, keep up with the tremendous growth that was occurring in the County. York County is the first County in the State of South Carolina to take advantage of a new law that allowed its citizens to implement a $99.255 million program designed to make roads better and safer. Today more than 30 counties throughout the state are following York County's lead and have implemented 1-cent tax to help meet their own needs.

The 1997 York County Capital Projects Sales and Use Tax Program, also known as the Pennies for Progress 1 Program, passed by referendum in November 1997 by 51%. The 1-cent tax went into effect in May 1998. The $99.255 million was collected in 6 years and expired in August 2004.

Types of Projects

The following are types of projects included as part of this program:

Bikeways

Bridge Construction/Replacement

Gravel Road Upgrades

Intersection Improvements

Multi-Lane Widening

Safety Improvements

Sidewalks

Commission

Jerry Helms, Chairman

David Anderson

Julian Dickerson

Herbert Graham

Merritt King

Niel Welborn

Accomplishments

12 Bridges Repaired, Replaced or Widened

41 Major Intersections Improved

50 Miles of Highway Improvements

64 Miles of County Gravel Roads Upgraded and Paved

Concentrated on Congestion Relief

Staff Managed Program

In 2008, York County staff took over the management of the program which included oversight of the planning, design, right-of-way acquisition and construction for all these projects. Check out the project phases to find out more about each step a project must endure.